Red Clydeside: A history of the labour movement in Glasgow 1910-1932

Cartoons

Cartoon depicting twin evils of landlordism and capitalism, 1909

One of a series of six cartoons published in the booklet 'The Catholic Workingman' by John Wheatley and published by the Catholic Socialist Society. The aim of the society was to propagate socialist views within the Irish-catholic community in Scotland. A secondary aim was to highlight the political inadequacies of the Liberal Party in relation to the political aspirations of the Irish-catholic electorate, especially the failure to deliver home rule for Ireland.

This cartoon is critical of the Liberal political tradition which seemed willing to tolerate the exploitative consequences of capitalism and landlordism, whilst doing nothing to alleviate the suffering of those Liberal voters who suffered at the hands of landlords and employers.

This cartoon was seen as particularly significant in an Irish-catholic context because of the deep-seated hatred for absentee landlords amongst the immigrant Irish in Britain.

Source: Gallacher Memorial Library, Glasgow Caledonian University Special Collections and Archives